The present invention relates to a temperature adjusting device for adjusting heating temperature of a tip of a soldering iron which is used for soldering, desoldering or reworking of electric parts.
In the assembly, disassembly and reworking of various electric and electronic apparatus, soldering or desoldering process is often employed for mechanically and electrically bonding or removing electric parts or leads to or from a substrate such as a printed circuit board. Such soldering and desoldering is usually carried out manually with a hand soldering or desoldering device having a tip of a soldering iron which is heated to a desired temperature to melt solder on the electric parts and leads. Such a hand soldering or desoldering device is electrically connected with a temperature adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the tip. The temperature adjusting device is provided with a temperature indicator including a scale and a manipulation member such as a knob having a pointer integrally formed thereon. Thus, the worker or operator may set a desired temperature of the tip by operating the manipulation member to register the pointer with a desired temperature scale.
The temperature of the tip must be set and kept at a value not to damage the circuit elements such as IC, while enabling soldering or desoldering. However, workers who perform the soldering or desoldering operation, generally tend to set the temperature of the tip at a value higher than proper one to make the soldering or desoldering operation efficient if they are allowed to adjust the temperature of the tip.
To prevent this, a conventional device is arranged such that the manipulation member can be removed from the temperature adjusting device to be kept under custody of an authorized operator who is authorized to adjust the temperature of the tip. Another conventional device is provided with a lock mechanism for blocking the temperature adjusting operation unless the locking is released by the authorized operator. The lock mechanism may provide with a card reader for locking and unlocking the temperature adjusting mechanism.
However, the removable knob type device has a disadvantage that the set temperature is not indicated and can not be confirmed once the knob is removed. As the set temperature is not indicated while the knob has been taken away, it can not be recognized even when the temperature has been changed by an unauthorized person. In the case of the card reading lock mechanism, the authorized operator must lock and unlock the temperature adjusting mechanism every time he or she makes the adjustment. In addition, provision of the card lock mechanism makes the temperature adjusting device complicated, resulting in increase of the cost for manufacturing the device.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved temperature adjusting device for adjusting or setting temperature of a soldering iron, with the adjustment or setting being allowed to a particular authorized operator.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a temperature adjusting device for adjusting or setting temperature of a soldering iron which can be accessed by a particular authorized operator for the adjustment or setting.
Still another object of the present invention to provide a temperature adjusting device for adjusting or setting temperature of a soldering iron and which is simple in construction and operation for the access by an authorized operator for the adjustment or setting of the temperature.
To attain one or more of the object mentioned above, a temperature adjusting device according to the present invention comprises a temperature control section having a moveable member which is moveable to change an electric parameter as a function of the movement of the moveable member, the temperature control section controlling the temperature of the soldering iron in accordance with the electric parameter; a manipulation member detachably coupled to the moveable member to move the moveable member to change the electric parameter; and an indicator interrelated with the moveable member to indicate an adjusted temperature, the indicator being capable of making the indication even when the manipulation member has been detached from the moveable member.
According to the invention, an authorized operator may adjust or set the temperature of the soldering iron by coupling the manipulation member with the moveable and operating the manipulation member. After the adjustment or setting of the temperature, the operator may detach the manipulation member and take it away to keep it under custody of the operator. Then, the worker performing soldering or desoldering operation can not change the temperature so that the temperature is kept at a proper value set by the authorized operator. In addition, the indicator is capable of making the indication even when the manipulation member has been detached from the moveable member. Accordingly, the set temperature can be confirmed at any time.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description along with the accompanying drawings.